A paper mill--reportedly the first in the country-- has begun operations in the Pul-e-Charkhi industrial park in Kabul and has an initial production capacity of 120 metric tons a day, its owners at Bahir Factories claim.

There is limited access to raw material for the paper mill, so it fills the gap by collecting 15 to 20 metric tons of wastepaper a day to recycle it in the mill, according to its officials. The factory provides jobs for 200 people. 

“We get part of our required raw material from wastepaper in streets and import the remaining part from abroad,” said Nawid Hakim, head of Bahir Factories.

“Our work is good. We call on the government to provide the opportunities for more of such factories so that they overcome the unemployment problem,” said Sebghatullah, a Wardak resident. 

The companies and individuals who collect wastepaper for the factory say it has created a good market for the wastepaper they collect every day. 
 
“We buy wastepaper for 3 Afghanis per kilogram and sell it for four to five Afghanis to the company,” said Musa Khan, a worker. 
 
According to figures, Afghanistan uses over 10,000 tons of paper annually and a big part of it is imported from other countries. Analysts said such factories can prevent the flow of millions of dollars out of the country for the purchase of paper.